Lubricating device for sewing machines



y 1936- G. -A. FLECKENSTEIN LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledJuly 17, 1954 0 7 x 5 E Z 5:.....: ,LMHV Mw -HJ: I V I ,|i

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LUBRICATWG DEVICE FUR SE NES George A. Fleckenstein, Stra'tford, o"assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. .li., acorporation of New .iersey Application July 17, 1934, Serial No. 735,606

ii "Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lubricating means foractuating mechanism of sewing machines and more particularly theneedle-bar and take-up actuating mechanism of sewing machines.

In the operation at high speeds of sewing machines, it is absolutelyessential that, the connections for reciprocating the needle-bar and foractuating the take-up be adequately lubricated and in a manner notrequiring frequent attention on the part of neglectful operators, inorder to obviate undue wear and burning out of the parts.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide means wherebyan initially properly lubricated needle-bar and take-up mechanism of j asewing machine may be operated for an unusually extended period of timewithout requiring any attention of the operator as to lubrication. Afurther object of the invention is to provide improved means forconducting lubricant to actuating mechanism of a sewing machine.

The invention consists in the devices, combinations and arrangements ofparts hereinafter described, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, and pointed out in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a front end elevation, partly in section, of a sewing machinecontaining the improved lubricating means. Fig. 2 represents alongitudinal section of the bracket-arm head of the sewing machine,substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on areduced scale, similar to Fig. 2 but viewed in the opposite directionand with the actuating mechanism illustrated in a different position ofthe parts. Fig. 4 represents a cross-section of the lining material forthe head.

Referring to the drawing, the improved lubricating means is illustratedas embodied in a sewing machine having a frame comprising a bedplate Iand a bracket-arm terminating at its free end in a hollow head 2,overhanging the bed-plate and closed by a removable'coverplate 3.

.Journaled in the bracket-arm is a rotary main crank-piniwithin the.head"2.; Pivotally en bracingthe crank-pinG a bearing-sleeve 1 at theupper end of ajneedlebar reciprocating link 8, having at its lower endabearing-sleeve 9. The I link bearing-sleeve 9 embraces a pivot-stud l0extendin'g from 'a collar l I suitably clamped upon the upper end of aneedle-bar l2. The needlebar I2 is journaled for endwise verticalreciprocation in a bearing-bushing l3 suitably fixed in the orneedle-reciprocating shaft 4, to which is secured a counterweightedcrank-disk 5 carrying a lower portion of the head 2, said needle-barcarrying a needle M.

Ofiset laterally from and integral with the link bearing-sleeve l is atake-up actuating bearingsleeve it, which pivotally embraces a pin it ofa 5 fulcrum-block W, said fulcrum-block being apertured transversely ofthe pin it to slidingly receive a guide-rod B8 of an angular take-upmember i8, H9. The arm E9 of the take-up member extends through a slot20 in the bracket-arm head 2 and at its free end is provided with theusual thread-aperture 2i. Integral with the take-up member I8, 09, atthe point of juncture of the guide-rod it ,with the arm i9, is abearingsleeve 22 pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum-pin 23 suitablysecured in the frame head 2. While the needle-reciprocating and take-upmechanism described is well known in the art, it has become increasinglydifiicult to maintain adequate lubri cation of the bearing surfaces ofthe link-sleeves l, 9 and i5, under the increasing requirements of highspeed operation.

In accordance with the presentinvention, the inner face of the head 2,which houses the needle and take-up mechanism, is partly lined with a 25combination lubricant-absorbent and conducting material adapted to holda very substantial quantity of lubricant and conduct it to points ofdelivery of' the lubricant to the bearing-sleeves i and 9. To this end,the absorbent and conducting material selected comprises transverselyarranged and interwoven strands 24 of cotton or other material havinghigh capillary conductivity of lubricant, which interwoven strands arein con-, tact with and preferably embedded in sheet material 25 havingrelatively low conductivity of lubricant, but capable of absorbing andstoring a very substantial quantity of the lubricant. A preferredabsorbent material 25 comprises felted wool fibers in which the cottonstrands 24 are embedded.- I v In the present case, the described lining24, 25 is secured, by screws 26, to the inner face of the bracket-armhead front wall. The lining preferably has a folded or doubled lower endportion 21 supported by the bottom wall 28 of the bracketarm head 2,said bottom wallbeing provided with a recess 29 constituting 'alubricant collecting well which is. overhung by the doubled portion '21of the lining. This doubledportion-Z'I of the lining a is apertured toreceive and closely embrace the needle-bar l2,"and i'sin the presentcase also re-'- cessed to embrace the upper end of the bushing l3, thelatter serving as an anchorage for said lining portion 21. A lateralextension 30 of the upper end of the lining is supported by a sheetmetalplate 3| bent to provide a lining-supporting ledge 32, said plate 3|being secured by the upper of the screws 26.

Any lubricant thrown off from the actuating mechanism within the head 2and against the lining 24, 25 will be absorbed by the felted wool fibres25 thereof and will be conducted by the interwoven cotton strands 24 tothe point where the lubricant is again delivered to the actuatingmechanism. As the wool fibres 25 are adapted to absorb a considerablequantity of lubricant and hold said lubricant until drawn upon by thecotton strands 24, according to the rate of. delivery ofthe lubricant tothe actuating mechanism, it is evident that the machine may be operatedfor a substantial period without requiring any attention in the matterof lubricating the parts supplied with lubricant by the lining. Excesslubricant will also be collected by the well 29 and supplied therefromto the lower end of the lining 24, 25.

Entering the well 29 is a lubricant conducting cord 33 extending intocontact with a dispensing pad 34 suitably secured, as by screws 35, tothe inner face of the rear wall of the bracket-arm head. Thisarrangement, in general, is similar to that disclosed in my prior patentapplication Serial No. 709,253, filed Feb. 1, 1934.

The bearing-sleeve I of the needle-bar reciprocating link 8 is providedin the portion of the wall facing the front or lined wall of the head 2with a segmental aperture 36 of which the chord 3'! comprises the backwall of the aperture considered as to the direction of travel of thebearing-sleeve 1 past the lining 24, 25, it being understood that thecrank-pin 6 rotates clockwise when viewed as in Fig. 1 of the drawing.The bearing-sleeve 1, during its rotation, contacts the lining portion30 andthe back-wall or chord 31 ofthe aperture 36 serves to scrapelubricant from said lining during each rotation of the crank-pin. Thescraped off lubricant enters the aperture 36 whereby lubricant isregularly supplied to the bearing surface of the sleeve 1 during theoperation of the machine.

The bearing-sleeve 9 of the link 8 is provided in its bottom wall withan aperture 38, leading to the bearing surface of said sleeve. At eachreciprocation of the needle-bar, the apertured portion of thebearing-sleeve 9 descends into contact with the lower end portion 21 ofthe lining and in fact partly buries itself in said lining portion 21,thereby picking up from the saturated lining sumcient lubricant toadequately supply the bearing surface of the sleeve 9. The engagement ofthe bearing-sleeve 9 with the lining portion 21 causes the latter to bedepressed or flexed and to dip into the well 29 of the bracket-arm head,therebyserving to maintain the lining saturated with lubricant. Thecompression of the lining portion 21 serves to squeeze out freeparticles of lubricant which are picked up by the reciprocatingneedle-bar. While the lining portion 21 embracing the needle-bar con-'stantly wipes off excess lubricant, sumcient lubricant remains upon theneedle-bar to adequately 'fore be noted that each of the bearingsurfaces of the three link sleeves is constantly and adequately suppliedwith lubricant which may be repeatedly used when thrown off by theactuating mechanism within the bracket-arm head.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:-

l. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow bracket-arm headprovided with a lubricant well, needle-bar actuating mechanism housedwithin the bracket-arm head, and means for dispensing lubricant to saidmechanism com prising a lining for said head of lubricant-absorbent andconducting material extending from said well and into the path ofmovement of said actuating mechanism.

2. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow bracket-arm head,a needle-bar journaled in said head for endwise reciprocation, a

pivot-stud projecting from said needle-bar, a

needle-bar reciprocating link having a bearing sleeve pivotallyembracing said pivot-stud, said sleeve being provided with an apertureleading to the bearing surface of the sleeve, means for actuating saidlink to reciprocate said needle-bar, and a lubricant-absorbent materialdisposed below said sleeve in intermittent engagement by the aperturedportion of said sleeve.

3. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow bracket-arm headprovided with a lubricant-collecting well, a needle-bar journaled insaid head for endwise reciprocation, a pivot-stud projecting from saidneedle-bar above said well, a needle-bar reciprocating link having abearing sleeve pivotally embracing said pivot-stud and provided at thebottom thereof with an aperture leading to the bearing surface of thesleeve, means for actuating said link to reciprocate said needle-bar,and a lubricant absorbent and dispensing material disposed within saidhead and overhanging said well for engagement by the apertured portionof said sleeve.

4. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow bracket-arm head,a needle-bar journaled in said head for endwise reciprocation, alubricant-absorbent material closely embracing said needle-bar withinsaid head, and means intermittently compressing said lubricant-absorbentmaterial to squeeze therefrom lubricant taken up by the reciprocatoryneedle-bar.

5. A sewing machine having a frame, an actuating mechanism housed bysaid frame, and a frame lining extending into close proximity to saidactuating mechanism for supplying lubricant thereto said liningcomprising a sheet consisting of lubricant-storing material andlubricant-conducting strands embedded in said lubricant-storing materialsubstantially throughout the length thereof, said strands havingrelatively higher lubricant conductivity than said lubricantstoringmaterial directionally toward said actu ating mechanism. 1

6. A sewing machine having a frame, an actuating mechanism housed bysaid frame, and a frame lining extending into close proximity to saidactuating mechanism for supplying lubricant thereto, said liningcomprising a sheet consisting of lubricant-storing material and aplurality of interwoven relatively transverse strands embedded in saidlubricant-storing material, said strands having relatively higherlubricant conductivity than said lubricant-storing materialdirectionally toward said actuating mechanism.

